Zahar Prilepin: "The reorganization of the elite will take place at the expense of the participants in the special military operation."

      August 4, 2025, 16:15

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      NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" Society – Maria Orlova

      Writer, Lieutenant Colonel of the Russian National Guard Zakhar Prilepin stated that the reorganization of the Russian political system is inevitable and will occur through the inclusion of participants in the SVO (Special Military Operation). He said this at the ceremony launching the program "Heroes. Nizhny Novgorod Region," which took place on August 4 at KUPNO. A NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" correspondent was present at the event.

      

      Prilepin noted that SVO participants have proven their loyalty and willingness to sacrifice themselves for the country, unlike some of the elite oriented towards the West. He emphasized that program participants have an advantage. According to him, Russian President Vladimir Putin not only expressed the intention to integrate SVO participants into the managerial hierarchy but also personally oversees the implementation of these programs. Specifically, the president reviews biographies of candidates for the "Time of Heroes" program and participates in forming the personnel reserve.

      

      “He is personally interested in this and will monitor it because in 2022, he faced the unpreparedness of a very significant part of our elite to the current situation. That is, the political, financial, cultural, media, and ideological elite in Russia proved to be insufficiently prepared for the tasks set by the special military operation. And, of course, our president — a wise man — knows that you shouldn't change horses at the crossing. He practically did not make any sudden moves, did not protect or dismiss anyone. Most of the managers who left our country left on their own. Nevertheless, of course, he received all the reports on the decline in work across various sectors. He remembers everything about everyone,” the writer is convinced.

      

      According to the Nizhny Novgorod resident, like many ordinary citizens, the elite believed that Western European and pro-American trends would predominate in Russia both in politics and economics. Based on this, they built their personal strategies and geographies, including acquiring assets and conducting businesses. There remains a strong pro-Western lobby within the Russian authorities. Prilepin criticized those who eagerly awaited Trump's return, calling such sentiments a sign of political immaturity and betrayal.

      

      He is confident that the elite needs a very serious reboot. “Of course, through participants of the SVO. Because they bring the most important thing to the state — their own lives. They already live with the feeling that they won’t have careers, dachas, studies, funds, or economic control over certain assets in the West. Such people are inherently needed,” said the Lieutenant Colonel of the Russian National Guard.

      

      At the same time, Prilepin added that participation in the SVO, or military training itself, is not a free pass into the world of political activity. Additional knowledge and skills — management, ideological, diplomatic, and economic — are necessary.

      

      The writer believes program participants will likely face unhealthy competition locally. In his opinion, those returning from the SVO may be discredited in the future, much like the "Afghans" in the 1990s. Society may also start spreading narratives about their "instability," "drunkenness," and "incompetence" in civilian life.

      

      “Top leaders — the president, governors, plenipotentiaries — see clear benefits in such cadres as SVO participants. They are precise, disciplined, tough, ideological, and focused on work. For managers of the fourth and fifth levels — they are direct competitors. Of course, people vying for the same positions will 'gnaw at them.' And program participants will have to pass this challenging path with honor. It’s normal to face obstacles — it means you can work, it means you have competencies. It will be tough, but dying is even harder. They will manage,” he said.

      

      Earlier reports indicated that 60 people became participants in the "Heroes. Nizhny Novgorod Region" program, and another 30, currently in the zone of the special military operation, are included in the reserve.

      

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